to amuse yea amaze us under the sense of Divine Goodness and to draw our Hearts with the silken cords of love It 's his favour that drops the inclinations of affection into the hearts and tempers the reciprocal tides in the breasts of such whom he ordains for conjugal relation His Eye guided out-cast Hagar to a shrub in Paran Gen. 24.39 40 58. 29.11 and rather then her son should perish for thirst an Angel must point out a Well to slake her sorrow Wonderful are the instances both in sacred and civil Story in discovery of means ordering of method guiding of accidents to the prevention of dangers and preservation of life and the sudden issuing of sudden distresses No less admirable are many quick and stupendious deliverances out of Dungeons and Prisons to great and famous Advancements and by providences to us occasional and accidental flow high and exalted manifestations of God to his Church and people Not to be curious in ranking under distinct heads give leave to mention a few mixt Examples in various kinds Pharaohs Daughter coming occasionally to the Rivers side Exo. 2.6 had compassion on little Moses weeping in his Cradle of Bulrushes Her heart wept over the tears of Moses she brought him up like a Prince in Egypt to be Prince of Israel Thus God makes his enemies to foster their own Supplanters and to build up their own destroyers After this the Humanity of Moses to the Daughters of Jethro in watering their Sheep advanced him to be Son in Law to the Prince of Midian A poor Captive Maiden in the Land of Syria by a few words was the occasion of the cure of Naamans Leprosie both in soul and body And another finding favour in the eyes of the great King of Persia was the occasion of delivering the Jews from destruction in 127 Provinces and the Reading of that Kingdoms Chronicles opened a door to Mordecai's Glory and Haman's Infamy Joseph and Daniel arrived to unexpected Preferment by exposition of Princes Dreams whereby the Church of God was strangely preserved and at length delivered from Exile Simeon and Anna coming into the Temple at an instant of Providence met with the Lords Anointed and saw his Salvation Many of the choicest Mercies fall under this head The first and primary Mercy to the World the Protevangelium the preaching of the Gospel to Adam by God himself transcended the thoughts and imaginations of our fallen Parents The sending of the Messiah's Sceptre out of Zion among the Gentile Idolaters who sought him not and the Conversion of whole Nations to the Obedience of his Spiritual Law was performed by preventing Grace to the whole world and the particular turnings of Rebellious Souls to God are often managed by secret instincts Austin would needs sail over Sea to Rome against the prayers and tears and fears of his holy Mother She dreaded his being corrupted by the debauchery of Rome but God sent him to Milan to be converted by Ambrose and as he speaks sweetly of Gods denial of her prayers as to his journey Confes 1. â— c. 8. Sed tu alte consulens exaudiens cardinem desiderii ejus non curasti quod tunc petebat ut in me faceres quod semper petebat But thou in wise counsel didst regard the hinge on which her desires turned didst reject her present prayer to give in the effect of her constant petitions Many times such who run from the means of their own Salvation fall into the happy snares of Divine Mercy and such who are naturally unwilling to be saved Austin praevenisti ut vellem the secret Wisdom of Providence allures to become a willing people in the day of his Power Should I enlarge upon the many rare cases of special preventing Mercies this Discourse would run over the banks of Volumes Famous is the Instance of that man whose Horse in a dark night wafted him over a Plank laid upon the breach of Rochester Bridge and the next day coming to see the place of his strange deliverance sunk into the deep waters of Amazement and died away Great Salvation did the Lord work also for a Friend of mine M. Charles Morton who riding in the night along the High Way at Menegizy Cliffs in Cornwall which was fallen down into the Sea at a vast depth might have perish'd inevitably had not a man suddenly stept out of his door at his passing by and prevented the mischief More admirable the safe fall of a Butcher upon his Sheep from the Cliff at Dover Castle as the Inhabitants report How did an impulse upon Mr. Dods Spirit to visit a Friend two miles off in the night prevent the Self-murder of that person by a Halter who was esteemed truly gracious but overwhelmed by direful tentations How did an unexpected Fog prevent a second Battel between the English and Dutch in the late Wars And the like happened in the days of King Edward the Confessor upon the Navies addressing to fight How admirably have many persons been cured preserved delivered by sudden accidents Memorable is that story in Tilingius of one who being cured of a Dropsie by the poison of a Toad designed for his destruction became the Publisher of that Specifick Some by Falls into Rivers have been cured of Madness others by sudden frights restored to the use of their Limbs and others by Shipwreck have escaped Piracy And which is distinct as to relief unexpected in deep poverty that of Accesilaus is remarkable who caused a Bag of Money to be conveyed under the pillow of a sick Friend modestly hiding his poverty that he might find it rather then receive it And others that have let fall Money into the laps of persons from a window as if it fell from Heaven As to preventing Mercy in reference to prayer â— 65.24 Sometime before we call God is pleased to answer When the Heart is but a tuning he discovers the Lesson and turns it into a Song of praise Ps 32.5 When David was under resolutions of Confession God actually forgave the iniquity of his sin Gen. 24.15 45. Before Eliezer had done speaking in the case of Isaac out comes Rebecca with the answer of prayer When Hezekiah was praying and weeping 2 Kings 20.5 Turn again says the Lord to Isaiah and tell the Captain of my people I will heal thee And Gabriel told beloved Daniel Dan. 9.20 21 23. that at the beginning of his Supplication he was commanded to fly more swiftly down to Daniel then his prayer could fly up to Heaven So ready is our gracious Father to smell a savour of rest when the Incense of prayer is but newly kindled CHAP. III. The Numerousness of Preventing Mercies THE glittering Stars of Heaven the drops of the briny Ocean and the Sands upon the winding Shores the Dusts of the Earth and the Atoms that swim in the Sun-beams are not so numerous as these excellent Mercies Archimedes could write a Treatise
wonderful Language and call aloud for admirable and joyful returns Lessons sung to Shoshannims the seven-string'd Instruments of Adoration and Honour Let 's hear the ravishing Musick in these seven succeeding Chapters that may be cordial to the very Hearts of Angels 1. Of the excellency of Love under the fense of Mercies 2. The Honourable Duty of Gratitude 3. The Exaltation of the Divine Name for his Munificence 4. The Anatomy and Vnbowelling of Secret Mercies 5. The Ingenuous meltings for sudden Sins 6. The softning Leniment of sudden Sorrows 7. The Contemplation of the permanent Mercies in Heaven I shall begin with the First and treat it as the Subject of this Chapter what an excellent Frame of Spirit is kindled by the sense of Mercies The most noble and generous love is that which streams from Heaven to ingratiate the hearts of Enemies by Springs of munificence to sweeten the tartest and sowrest tempers to break Flints upon Pillows to melt adamantine hearts in the warm blood of affection to lead Lyons in Chains of Gold and tame Hyrcanian Tygers into Doves Masculine and Heroick Love changes the frame and alters the constitution and texture of hostile Hearts Suspicion Suspicions which is the very Bane and Poyson of Love is by this Art fermented into a brisk volatile and balsamick Liquor To stand upon the Guard and watch to eye and try is but a feminine and childish trifling to subdue others by kindness is God-like to melt the Rocks of Caucasus by flames from Heaven Weak and low-statur'd Love insists upon the catch and so becomes touchy and waspish puts forth its captious sting at every buzz of false Flatterers and Backbiters Noble Love is like the Ointment of the right hand Pr. 27.16 which bewrays it self like a soft River of Oyl that runs down speedily in a direct Chanel of inclination into the Ocean of enjoyment He that can command his Love when attracted by the Magnetick Influence of genuine Friendship has but little true love under his Obedience Suspicion and Distrust grows upon the Root of a weak Love Generous and Noble Spirits had rather be deceived than distrust True Love is not easily provoked and thinks no evil 1 Cor. 15.5 it beareth believeth hopeth and endureth all things To lay heavy load upon sudden conjectures is to tread upon quick sands and walk among the Irish Bogs Such a Friend did not so courteously salute me in the street did not invite me among others brake off his speech abruptly lookt not so pleasantly and turn'd suddenly out of my company Suspicion blinds the understanding and is a Cloud that an evil temper turn'd upon the Sun of affection It cast Eve out of Paradise and leads fretful persons into desarts full of Bryars and Thorns It mischieves the owner and presents to himself a Cup to drink up his own Poyson Pro. 5.22 That Person is held with the cords of sin and may complain with Eve The Serpent within hath deceived me When Men can out-wit the Devil in Policy and be too strong for Divine Justice then they may walk in the shades of this Fools Paradise Men never gain by the ill bargain of Suspicion but at last their very thoughts will upbraid them with weakness and folly Deaw not long Arguments from the slender twine-thread of Suspicion We need a Dove-like simplicity and a benign estimate of every Accident Words misplac'd must not hurry our raw conjectures into Passions It 's the sign of an evil temper to construe the worst when a fair Gloss may be more sweetly truly and decently given Believe nothing but what 's manifest use both your ears and your heart too before you whet your tongue and when suggestions once appear to be vain chide your too frequent credulity Be not hasty to conceive an injury lest you bring forth a lye the frequency of self-rebuke through experience will pare away sudden reflections Let not little touches and small scratches set you in a flame of anger Because your drink is not warm enough or your servant slow or the Table totters a little at Meat or the Door is not presently shut to be in a scurvy Feaver of wrath betrays dirty blood and sordid spirits within Because a Flea or a Fly troubles you or a pot falls or a pipkin boyls over or a glass broken or children make a noise or a thing is misplac'd or ancient people cough or as Myndyrides because the roses in his bed were a little doubled to be in a rage shews a proud weak and effeminate Spirit deserves the rebukes of silence on deserting their company as unfit for humane converse Some persons have Souls good for little but to salt their bodies and exercise the graces of others and are alive by providence for increase of wisdom patience and pardoning mercy in their Alliances Like Vermine subtile to do mischief and whet mens fancies to devise traps and gins to catch them spend their days in trifles to spin perishing Webs catch Flies and spit their Venom Let 's turn our eyes from miserable deplorable forlorn Creatures to him whose Throne is in the Heavens and counts it a condescending humility to behold the Angels Ps 113.6 All his works praise him Ps 145.10 and his Saints bless him Le ts set out the glory of his Excellency and admire the operation of his hands with heart and tongue We are too like the poor Disciples that wondered at the Marble-buildings of the Temple Mark 13.2 are these things fit for a Saints wonder Le ts adorn our time by comparing Precepts with Providence The rule of his Wisdom with its product and issue and narrowly espy how God glorifies every Attribute in the management of Heaven and Earth Providence comments on the Text of Prudence and delights in Mercy and Love as the Issue of his own glorious Bowels What stirred up Divine Wisdom to plot the mutual kissings of Righteousness and Peace together but rowling bowels of compassion towards perishing man when Angels fell from Heaven without recovery yet according to the Multitude of his tender Mercies Wombs full of Mercies hath blotted out our transgressions Ps 51.1 Hebr. Let us be inflamed with Love to God that sweetly provides for our bodies out of his Store house from the Air and Woods from Seas and Rivers from Hills and Plains not only for necessity but delight and ornament withholding nothing from us that 's good for grace or glory But the Master-piece the Top the Flower of love shines forth in the beauty of Gospel-Mercy Le ts dwell in the Temple of Meditation upon the infinite Love of God in Christ till our hearts he enlarged and amplified with flames of affection service and praise when Divine Love is the Fountain of ours we shall need no other arguments of bounty to Saints than the sweet apprehension of his Love to us We need no motives from Plato Tully or Seneca who range up and down the Mountains of Fancy and
that which I see not teach thou me A gracious Soul not stung in Conscience by former miscarriage when he sails in a Storm calmly ponders that a milder Gale may breath from the South and better days may come He may as suddenly be drawn out of as cast into the pit The ratling Hailstones may be melted by a warmer Sun and a dark thundring night may end in a bright morning to cherish his vital Spirits Junge nigra candidis as Bernard Bernard Epist 78. f. 195. b. Songs 2.12 Set black by white and clouds by clear and winter by spring and remember the singing of Birds will come when bitter and deadly Gourds are in the Pot 2 K. 4.44 Elisha may come with a handful of Meal and cure both taste and danger When bitter afflictions fill a Cup to the brim cast in the fine flower of a Sanctuary offering and pardon will come and mercy will fly down with silver wings and a shining countenance from Heaven and then the ravishing sense of divine love will extinguish all discontents from earthly sorrows Nothing can be very sharp on the back of a Saint when Gods Love sweetens his heart We are as we love if worldly then earthy love and earthly losses break an earthy heart if holy and spiritual then treasures pleasures and affections all suit and center in Heaven And what affliction can make him miserable whose heart 's above it Every Saint does gradually arrive to a Masculine Heroick Angelical Spirit Be patient then Rom. 8.28 and things will work together wonderfully for the good of such as are called according to purpose When we pore upon the down-end of the Cross we are ready to faint as if it could never be pull'd up As the Romans dismayed at an inauspicious Omen when their Eagle Ensign could not be haled for a March But let 's consider the upper end reaches Heaven and the same Hand that fixed it can rear and raise it at pleasure And remember there is an appointed time for every Tryal moneths and days that it cannot pass Though the Waves toss themselves yet cannot prevail Jer. 5.22 they roar yet cannot tumble beyond the Sandy Banks oppos'd by an Omnipotent Arm. Israel came out of Egypt the self same night according to the Promise of 430 years to Abraham Exod. 12.42 Affliction is the Churches Physick and will certainly work cum summa euphoria with great success and ease Earthly Physicians often complain of Ineffectual purges but here stay a while and the Event will issue happily When affliction makes us jealous of sin it begins when sick of sin when hateful to it when holy resolutions rise against it then it works to purpose When we see the depth of Corruption in the Flouds of Affliction Rom. 5.3 't is then sanctified and the Love of God is shed abroad in the Heart Afflictions are known to be sanctified when sin begins to wither Affliction sanctified and is in part mortified The rust is filing off when persons begin to shine in meekness humility and patience and accept correction when discontented fumes are scattered and the Thorns of fretfulness are burnt up Oh how plyable and capable of gracious impressions when the Wax is melted by the fire of trouble Take heed then of being rough and furious again when danger 's over Ask Pharaoh if this be not the fruit of a proud and hard heart Again 1 Tim. 2.8 't is then sanctified when it whets prayer to lift up Holy Hands without wrathful revenge and despondent diffidence when it deadens the Spirit to worldly enjoyments and crucifies the heart to carnal vanities Gal. 6.1 When it renders us compassionate and tender-hearted forgiving and forgetting injuries remembring how ourselves were tempted when it sweetens Heaven and prepares the heart for a holy departure and while here makes us ready for service in every good work knowing that all shall end well with a Saint when every tear shall be turned in an Oriental Pearl to adorn his Crown in Glory Are such great Mercies sown in the furrows of affliction and suddenly wax green even in the winter and under cold blasts of adversity With what submission and expectation of issues should we behave our selves under the hand of a Wise and Holy Father Set Faith to work in its Heavenly Imployment of thirsting for Christ Rev. 21.6 Is 45.22 Joh. 6.35 Joh. 1.12 Songs 8.5 4 Pet. 5.7 Luk. 23.46 Heb 3.14 of looking towards him of coming to him receiving of him leaning upon him a casting the cares of our Souls into his Bosom and commending our spirits into his hands and after all in fainting times cast not away the beginning of your confidence but hope to the end Phil. 1.8 1 Cor. 1.8 1 Thâ—s 5.24 since he will perfect what is begun to the Day of Christ and confirm us to the end From reflection upon Faith if careful of Holiness in due time will rise assurance by beholding our Faces in the Glass of Promise when the Soul has been sometime nourish'd by the sincere Milk of the Word at length it may take off the Cream of Joy and Assurance 1 Joh. 3.19 which lies in perswading the Heart of the Love of God So that a sound Christian may arrive to this Heavenly Pitch by discerning the true Acts of Faith and the lively workings of it in times of troubles by the growth of the fruits of the Spirit in times of Tentation and a vigorous conflict against Sin with success and by the immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 These things have I mentioned as preservatives of the Heart in the Flouds of many Waters and as preparations for sudden mercies which will season the Spirit to bear up valiantly in our present stations and qualifie for emergencies of future Joys For when the Soul sits down quietly under hatches in a present storm and buckles to it with an even frame light arises suddenly shines illustriously and beautifies the Soul with joyful and abiding Deliverance Let 's conclude this Chapter with a Memorable Story of Mr. Leverton's Escapes in his West-India Voyages contracted out of the Manuscript of my good Friend Mr. Ch. Morton which thirsts for light to shew what wonderful methods God sometimes uses in bringing out of deep and amazing distresses This Gentleman putting to Sea from the Isle of Sr. Christopher in a French Frigat commanded by Monsieur de Voe of Rochel after a fortnights sail fell under a dead calm in the vast Atlantick Ocean Victuals being almost spent they stinted each person to 8 Spoonfuls of Pease and one pint of Water in a day till at last they grew black with famine and their Backs and Bellies shrunk together Twice a day he prayed with and fed them with Spiritual Food they hung upon his Lips with greedy attention They had much Manna though no Corn and streams
vocal Instruments for new Songs to bear a part with the Harmony of Angels for ever CHAP. V. Of the Instruments used for conveyance of these Mercies WHatever Hand presents our Mercies or whosoever's Heart was inclin'd to hand them all flowes from the grand Original Every Mercy is the Fruit of the Thoughts of God When David was poor and needy Ps 40.17 Gods thinking upon him enrich'd his Spirit But Instruments must have their due place in our respect and reverence since God honours them They were Golden Pipes that convey'd Golden Oyl in Zechaery Zech. 4.12 Heavens Ambassadors deserve Angelical Salutations remembring what 's due to Servants without prejudice to Divine Glory who bends and inflects the hearts of of men to shew that Benevolence which passes through them as a River between its Banks but springs from the infinite Fountain of Divine Mercy Few or no Enjoyments but have their enamelled means and methods of Providence and when its Beryl Wheels move towards us full of Eyes and Glory Ezek. 10.13 we may cry out with admiration of God O Wheel Our Health Beauty Feature Strength good Name Estate Utterance or any other Endowment of Soul or Body are the Product of Divine Love though second Causes may intervene for those very causes have their Creation Motion and Direction and Success from God Children are the Heritage of the Lord Ps 127.3 and yet the fruit of the Womb by his Reward Prov. 18.22 He that findeth a Vertuous Wife as if by casualty obtaineth favour of the Lord by the Designation of Heaven Whoever wishes he receives those wishes dropt into his Heart from higher influence Gen. 24.31 And faithful Eliezer must be called the Blessed of the Lord when he knocks at the Door and brings the Tidings The Presents which David sent from the Spoils of Amalek to his Friends though taken from his Enemies 1 Sam. 30.25 yet were given of the Lord. Senders and Messengers may vary but all comes from Heaven God is pleased sometimes to send an Olive-Branch by the Hand of a Dove to Noah Food by the Mouth of a Raven to Elijah at Cherich and sometimes by a Jay to others sometimes a Star passes before the Zabii the Wisemen of the East and enlightens them to Bethlchem and otherwhile an Angel is employed to the Prophet at Rithmah and many times the Methods of great Mercies are deep and intricate and we can never dive to the bottom of Wisdoms Ocean The stately River Nile rises from a latent head and the foundations of Famous Cities are under ground The Great and Holy God sometimes stirs up the Hearts of Relations most times Strangers and now and then even Enemies themselves are turned to help and favour his People Ps 106.46 Rare is that story of a good Woman at Sandwich imprisoned by the Major for a Religious Meeting and being askt by him how she would do in Prison being poor She reply'd I serve such a Master that rather than I shall starve I shall be fed from your Table The Magistrates Wife overhearing her confidence in God sent every day constantly from the Majors house a portion of Meat for about three Weeks being the time of her Restraint So that whatever are the Motives in the Hearts of inferiour Agents still the Supreme and Heavenly Cause is to be eyed with Adoration and Worship Many may unwillingly profit us we then owe not the benefit to them but the great Incliner the Soveraign Mover of Hearts Let us not trouble our Spirits about that question Quo animo with what design their Favours are calculated to our use Ignoble Spirits may perform some noble Actions upon a superstitious or vainglorious aim as to merit Heaven to gain applause to restrain the barkings of Conscience to stop the Mouth of Reprovers and to oblige men to their humours or some base intrigue or other Of all persons Ministers should be most sagacious and the Seers of the Temple must be blind in such Emergencies When sordid tempers exact difficult Secrecies for a little pelf while themselves spend ten times more on a base lust like those that fat their Horses for a riding or their Slaves at Algier for to sell in the Market at a higher Price Homines vaenalis animae that buy and sell their souls for advantage and are meer Merchants of all the Benefits they exert to others Some Mens Favours are like Chrystal Glasses of a curious frailty every Spider of suspicion cracks them He that ponders too much upon the Publican return of his benefits gratifies the trade of gain and covetousness not his Conscience to God or the genuine good of others There be many that take a pride to be counted liberal when they let fall a few drops of charity upon famished poverty and love that the Sun should shine upon their forward bounty and make their Cock crow at the scratching out a few Corns from their lofty Dunghills that can empty their laden Stomachs into China Dishes and hang Jewels and Pearls the price of whole Cities upon their Ears and vest themselves with the Tribute of large Territories and make as great a noise in scattering their Offals among the Poor as when the Russian Emperor blows his Trumpet after Dinner and all the World must know when they give that which their high-fed Lap-curs many times refuse They 'le wear Silk Garments like the Roman Matrons of such a fine Web that neither their Bodies are defended from weather nor their Chastity from observation but think much of a few Rags to cover a poor Lazarus at the Door God gives them Hundreds by the Year and they carry single Pence in their Pockets or brass Farthings to buy off the Clamours of Conscience But yet such as are inward Enemies to true Evangelical Charity shall be Instruments sore against their will to preserve the Soul of the Needy from death and ruine Wicked and debauched Persons Prov. 13.22 shall in the issue lay up Treasures for the Righteous But when Instruments act generously like wise Stewards of the manifold Talents of Gods Mercies they are to be highly esteemed like the Gold Ring that encompasses an Orient and Sparkling Diamond They are to be nourished and cherished like the Doves of Aleppo to whose Feet the Missives and Letters of Merchants are tyed for speedy conveyance Embassadors are Sacred Persons and are to be sacredly handled The very Feet of them that bring glad tidings of Peace and Mercy are to be washt and anointed with Oyl and counted beautiful There 's a Glory shines upon the Sandals of them who come down from Heaven and we ought to crows the Footsteps of the Messengers of Heavenly Favours with Branches of Olives and the persons sent back to Heaven with grateful Acclamations to the Harps of Joy to hold in consort with the Host of Angels praising the Divine Beneficence CHAP. VI. The Beneficial Improvement of sudden and unexpected Mercies WOnderful Mercies speak